The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is going to allow Tonawanda Coke to burn hazardous waste. That's raising concerns among neighbors who have been dealing with the convicted polluter for years.

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WBFO's Chris Caya reports on concerns over the clean up of Tonawanda Coke.

Faith leaders from around New York came to the Capitol to gain support in the state Senate to adopt a statewide single-payer health care system. It would be an alternative to the national Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, which Republicans in Congress and President Donald Trump have been trying to dismantle.

The complexities of billing the Medicare program may have provided cover for some major health insurers in an effort to defraud the federal government. According to a report from The New York Times, the companies may have exaggerated patient diagnoses to inflate Medicare payments by billions of dollars. Buffalo Congressman Brian Higgins decried the practice, calling it a "blatant violation of the public trust."

Members of the Erie County Legislature continue to discuss a proposal to provide $1 million for efforts against an ongoing opioid addiction crisis. But at Thursday's Health and Human Services Committee meeting, it was clear that lawmakers are divided on how the money should be spent, and how soon it may be spent.

Bleeding disorders in women and young girls can affect every-day life – from missed days at work to missed time in the classroom. But, often, the disorders go undiagnosed. A new clinic in Buffalo’s Delaware District is working to change that.

Senior citizens are vulnerable to abuse, not only of their physical selves but also of their life's savings. This morning in Amherst, partners in a newly formed task force announced their mission to provide elderly individuals with assistance in cases of financial abuse and exploitation.

Almost 100 hospitals reported suspicious data on dangerous infections to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services officials, but the agency did not follow up or examine any of the cases in depth, according to a report by the Health and Human Services inspector general's office.

Most hospitals report how many infections strike patients during treatment, meaning the infections are likely contracted inside the facility. Each year, Medicare is supposed to review up to 200 cases in which hospitals report suspicious infection-tracking results.

Erie County legislators are lining up in support of a proposed law intended to protect senior citizens living in assisted care homes. The Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee discussed the proposal, known as "Ruthie's Law."

Buffalo’s Lafayette Square was host, on Wednesday afternoon, to the latest stop in a campaign to educate New Yorkers on a potential new tool in the fight against drug use - a tool that is drawing mixed opinions.

As Western New York and the nation deals with an opioid crisis, a group of drug reform advocates, former users and health care professionals have launched an effort to bring to New York State facilities where addicts can consume their drug of choice in a safe, secure and supervised environment.

New York State ranks last in the nation for participation by residents in organ donor registries. So how do you change that when most people sign up at their local auto bureau when getting a driver’s license?

Drugs and the opioid epidemic are an ongoing burden in Western New York, with continuous efforts being made through education, medical treatment, and government agencies. But a church in Jamestown is trying a different approach to dealing with this very real crisis.

Health officials working closely with an ongoing opioid addiction epidemic say the problem is not going away any time soon. But New York State is committing $213 million to help expand treatment, recovery and prevention programs with the hope the tide may soon turn.

An investigative report released by Reuters News shows the City of Buffalo to be one of the most at-risk cities in the nation for child exposure to lead. Such exposure is linked to hindered learning and behavioral development. While the city and Erie County are making progress, there are fears proposed federal budget cuts could set back prevention efforts.

The Food and Drug Administration says children under 12 should not be given prescription medicines that contain codeine or another narcotic, tramadol, and that such drugs can also be dangerous to youth between 12 and 18.

Even though Western New York is showing big improvement in this year’s ‘State of the Air’ report from the American Lung Association, the region still ranks poorly in nationwide assessments of air pollution.

It was a project three years in the making, but the ribbon has been cut to open at a new state-of-the-art residential facility for young people dealing with behavioral health issues. Those attending the Tuesday ceremony to dedicate the new Baker Victory Services building in Lackawanna say it creates an atmosphere of hope which, in turn, increases the chances for positive outcomes.

Only four in ten adults in Western and Central New York have completed a health care proxy form, based on the results of an online survey of 2,000 Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield subscribers from a 39-county region.